1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus holder adapted for use in a carrier to hold a personal electronic apparatus or the like and more particularly to an adjustable apparatus holder that can be adjusted according to the size of the apparatus to be held.
2. Description of the Related Art
Following fast development of high technology, a variety of personal electronic apparatus, such as PAD, pocket computer, mobile telephone, etc., have been developed. A variety of carriers are commercially available for carrying a personal electronic apparatus. However, commercially available carriers for this purpose are designed for holding a particular apparatus or a particular module of an apparatus. A consumer may have to prepare several carriers for different personal electronic apparatus.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the object of the present invention to provide an adjustable apparatus holder, which fits different personal electronic apparatus. To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the adjustable apparatus holder comprises a base panel, a first side plate, a second side plate, and a locking mechanism. The base panel comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a bottom receiving space defined by the first surface between a flat raised middle part and two relatively lower side parts of the base panel, a plurality of mounting holes extended through the first surface and the second surface and symmetrically disposed at two sides for mounting, a plurality of first short cylindrical protruded portions and a plurality of second short cylindrical protruded portions perpendicularly downwardly projected from the first surface and suspended in the bottom receiving space, a first side, and a second side disposed in parallel to the first side. The first side plate is an angled side plate comprising a horizontal wall inserted into the bottom receiving space of the base panel, and a vertical wall extended from one side of the horizontal wall at right angles and disposed corresponding to the first side of the base panel, the horizontal wall having two elongated sliding slots bilaterally arranged in parallel and respectively coupled to the first short cylindrical protruded portions of the base panel for enabling the first side plate to be moved relative to the base panel in two reverse directions apart from and toward the first side of the base panel, a middle opening extended to one side thereof away from the vertical wall, and two engagement portions arranged in parallel at two sides of the middle opening. The second side plate comprises a plate body disposed adjacent to the second side of the base panel and facing the vertical wall of the first side plate, a barrel integrated with a bottom side of the plate body, a pivot pivoting the barrel to the second side of the base panel, a male connecting member perpendicularly extended from the periphery of the barrel in the direction opposite to the plate body, and two torsional springs respectively sleeved onto the pivot to support the plate body of the second side plate in a vertical position, the torsional springs each having two opposite ends respectively stopped at the plate body and the base panel. The locking mechanism is provided in the middle opening of the first side plate within the bottom receiving space of the base panel and adapted to lock the first side plate. It comprises a link and two engagement blocks. The link comprises a female connecting member disposed at one end thereof and fastened to the male connecting member of the second side plate, and two side openings disposed at two sides near an opposite end thereof for receiving the engagement blocks. Each of the engagement blocks comprises an engagement portion adapted to engage the engagement portions of the first side plate respectively, a plurality of oblique sliding slots respectively coupled to the second short cylindrical protruded portions of the base panel. The engagement blocks are bilaterally moved within the side openings of the link to disengage the engagement portions of the engagement blocks from the engagement portions of the first side plate when the second side plate is turned outwards from the base panel about the pivot. The torsional springs return the plate body of the second side plate to the vertical position when the user releases the second side plate, thereby causing the link to be returned to force the engagement blocks into engagement with the engagement portions of the first side plate again.